Rockford Bishop Doubles Down Against Tradition

Bishop David J. Malloy has doubled down against our Catholic liturgical tradition under the false banner of unity. As noted today by Fr. Z at his site:

In this letter, a follow up to their diocesan “Presbytery Day” (where he spoke to them about “challenges”), the bishop writes:

“Following that talk, I write now to ask for your cooperation on several matters that have since been referred to me in connection with my comments last September:

First, as I noted at that time, we are all aware of the on-going discussion surrounding the celebration of the Mass “ad orientem”. However, for the reasons I discussed at that time, and in order to underscore our unity in prayer and to avoid differences between and even within parishes on this point, I ask that no Masses be celebrated “ad orientem” without my permission.”

Of course this move, which runs contrary to the liturgical tradition of the Roman Rite, contrary to the recent recommendations of Cardinal Sarah (prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship), and contrary to the GIRM itself, is the heavy handed modernist tactics of the Seventies and Eighties revisited.

Additionally, the bishop has forbidden…yes FORBIDDEN…his priests from offering Mass in the Extraordinary Form without his permission, specifically citing Articles 5 & 2 of Summorum Pontificum. As Fr. Z correctly notes:

The Bishop of Rockford wrote “with due regard to Art. 2” and then he completely ignored it and wrote something that precisely contradicted it. According to Art. 2, priests of that diocese – or any other diocese in the world for that matter – do not need his permission.

So now, for the faithful of Rockford, they are being returned to a time in the Church when self-loathing Catholicism ruled the day. Back to the days when one need look no further than the chancery to find anti-Catholicism; for that’s what any attack against our liturgical heritage is. Against our past. Against tradition. It’s anti-Catholicism.

But wait; there’s more.

In his letter Bishop Malloy has also advised his priests that “any modifications being carried out in the sacred space of parish churches” requires diocesan approval. Specifically cited are the moving of altars, tabernacles, or “questions involving altar rails.”

In the Diocese of Rockford, Illinois it would seem that the groovy Seventies have indeed retuned; at least liturgically.

Those who oppose our Catholic tradition, who oppose the Latin Mass, and who (apparently) believe that mercy and accompaniment do not apply to traditionalists, are feeling quite emboldened these days.

Introibo ad Altare Dei, ad Deum qui laetificat juventutem meum. In which direction is Jesus, dressed in priestly garments with a gold sash about Him, and in His Right Hand, Seven Stars, pointing as He offers Himself during the perpetual Divine Heavenly Liturgy of the Marriage Feast of the Lamb? “I saw a Lamb standing as if slain”. Agnus Dei Qui tollis peccata mundi…….

The Bishop of Calgary thought he could forbid the Traditional Mass as well. It didn’t work out well for him, and it won’t work out well for the new Bishop of Rockford. As to the celebration of the Novus Ordo Missae “ad orientem,” the law is more than clear, and any priest (in theory) and any of the faithful (hopefully in practice) will have recourse. He may persevere in his obstinance for a while, but in the end he will fail.

They should file whatever formal canonical actions as appropriate, and tying up His Immenseness in paperwork. He would be required to cooperate with such appeals, which could conceivably go as high as the Rota. And he wouldn’t be the first bishop to get dressed down during a trip to Rome for a thing like this.

The faithful of Rockford need to stop acting like sheep and demand that their shepherd start acting like one.

It’s clear that the Bishop has no real canonical authority to impose these restrictions on his priests. If he has a stick to wield, it’s not legal, but career. As in: “Flout me on this, and your ecclesiastical career will cease to prosper. I have several hospitals which need chaplains.”

If he is so concerned about unity all the more reason to encourage the Latin mass which the Saints and the church have celebrated with reverence.Clearly the new way isn’t working as catholics are leaving the church in droves!Meanwhile attendance at traditional Latin mass has tripled mostly thanks to millenials…the next generation!No bishop can deny the horrific abuses as a result of this anything goes except the Latin mass but I’m puzzled as to why he would put so called unity higher above preventing more sacriledges and abuses.That just dosent even come close to holding water.As to him forbidding priests from celebrating the Latin mass or putting the tabernacle in the center of the church or bringing back communion rails…is he allowed to do that?These poor priests are being suppressed from their duties by their own bishop!Are you familiar with our Lady of Good Success and the prophecies she made for the 20th Century?She made them back in the 1600’s and said they were for the 20th Century.It described what the church is going through exactly to a T right now!The really remarkable thing is all the revelations she made would have been unthinkable in the 1600’s but sadly they are our reality!

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church, c. 461: “Taking up St. John’s expression, “The Word became flesh”,82 the Church calls “Incarnation” the fact that the Son of God assumed a human nature in order to accomplish our salvation in it.”

From the Nicene Creed (Said in Mass on every Sunday: “For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man.”

Feeding the poor is a work of corporal mercy, one Catholics are enjoined to do. But we do so as a consequence of our calling as Christians. It is not the end of the faith itself.

You’re right Raymond. Let’s just throw in the towel. It’s too hard. Let’s just have happy clappy Masses and watch our churches continue to atrophy and churn out weak Catholics. Let’s keep our heads in the sand and pretend that Vat II really threw open the doors and was a boon to the church. Let’s just join the Protestants and make it all about the bible and ourselves. Let’s have a band and clap during Mass and make it about us.We’re really on there to feel good about ourselves and check the box. Let’s just phone it in because we’re too busy out there solving the worlds problems. God will understand we’re busy focusing on this world instead of Him and our destination. Otherwise he wouldn’t have given us those pesky poor to deal with. Our world today is so much more violent today than it was during WWI/WWII when Catholics had the time to “do it right” or during the great depression when there were no poor to be concerned about. We have all the excuses we need not to be concerned with that pesky ad orientem stuff. More of the same will be great and yield more of the same, let’s just do that.

Raymondfrice : Those who do not understand or appreciate the Traditional Mass and the reverence and unity of ad orientem are really not in a position to call it trivia….that is the mentality that comes out of the modern Mass. With Mass minus the prayers of preparation, the Confiteor, the Introit, portions of the Canon, frequently the Creed, then the hand-shaking and hugging and receiving the Holy Eucharist with same unwashed hands, little time for prayers of preparation to receive Holy Communion, or, give thanks after, then no clearing defined Post Communion, of course no Last Gospel and for sure no Leontine prayers for the protection of the Church before dashing out of the church. Does the Modern Mass feed the starving poor, or the starving souls? Does it stop the violence in the world??

As those of us in his diocese knew already. This is why we are subjected to happy clappy music, priestly joking homilies, kool-aid pitchers as vessels, etc. Some blame must go to former Bishop Doran who would not allow the spread of the Latin Mass. He asked to wait until he retired! Of course and now the answer is NO! Those parishes that had communion rails or twice a month Latin Masses have been able to continue but NO to any new ones. You will know them by their fruits. Watch and see what the fruits will be of this attitude.

There are lies in this write up, and the bishop is acting in accordance the will of the Holy Spirit. Seek not to idolize the liturgy, because in doing so, you forget God. There is only one true orientation, and that is toward God, really, but not God in some distant dark space along a geometry based upon where the Sun might be given your particular location on Earth. Get over it. Turn back to God.

“Turn back to God.” An imperative which assumes that those expressing concern over this development (which violates Church law at numerous points) are turned *away* from God. Not a terribly charitable attitude, Francis.

Takes some time to familiarize yourself with the spiritual works of mercy. Also, ad orientem tends to turn people away from God, where He Is in a parish’s tabernacle. This is my basis for the admonition. It is a physical turning which then leads to a spiritual turning, and sometimes, the other way as well. Let us not idolize the liturgy…

The almost universal tradition of the Church, East and West (indeed, still in the East, to this day), at least until the 1960’s was celebration ad orientem. Are we to believe the Church was getting something so fundamental so wrong for nearly all of its history?

If Christ is present in the Tabernacle, and the Tabernacle is behind the altar (as it often still is in many churches) why would the priest turn his back on Him?

People prayed toward the east because God was in the Temple. So, pray toward the Eucharistic Presence of the Lord. Looking east when God is not in the east, while sentimental toward ancient tradition of praying toward the Temple is an obsolete practice for Catholics today. Love God. Turned toward where He may be found. Try not to let little things like this, insignificant to your salvation, drag you down.

This calls for uncommon courage from priests. Yes, the Bishop can relieve you of your parish and send you to a hospital chaplaincy. Is that too much of a hardship to bear for the beauty and evangelizing power of traditional Catholic worship? Even now you are on some list at the Chancery; even now you are unlikely to be getting a call from Pope Francis to be elevated to the episcopacy. The careerists have their cathedrals, chanceries, pastoral councils, inter-faith committees, invitations to dinner, show-tune liturgies, and ephemeral “youth outreach” initiatives. You have something priceless to share with whomever you encounter. And to the chagrin of the careerists, their seminaries will find it hard to replace you, except with some ad hoc “pastoral team”. My mantra is “You have no carrots; you have no sticks.” Corragio!

“There is only one true orientation, and that is toward God, really, but not God in some distant dark space along a geometry based upon where the Sun might be given your particular location on Earth.”
Yikes, the gospel of Marty Haugen, Church of Christ member.

We live in Rockford and attend St.Mary Oratory (ICKSP) – it is served of course in the TLM . the Bishop visits us a couple times per year – I guess he doesn’t approve of other parishes doing it . I hope our Oratory is sage though

The Traditional Latin Mass is also called the Extraordinary Form, Right???? They are the same…
And the Ordinary Form is The New Mass???? Can someone please correct me if I’m wrong… Greatly appreciated it.
HeLp SaVe SouLs
{*J*M*J*}

It is a wise move to ignore the rubrics of the 1970 Missal? The rubric to turn and face the people 6 times has been in all of the revisions of the Missal. There have been 4: 1970, 1975, 2002, 2011. There is no leadership in ignoring rubrics.